Games of chance have become popular in many jurisdictions as a way of generating revenue for funding schools and other state and local government services. Many jurisdictions have authorized games of chance such as lottery games, bingo games, video card games, and slot machines. All of these types of games may be played at gaming machines or terminals that include one or more video displays for displaying game graphics, results, and facilitating other interaction with the player. These video display-implemented games offer great flexibility in how the games may be played and how results are displayed to the players. Thus, games have become more and more entertaining and exiting for players. With intense competition in the industry, game suppliers and operators are constantly searching for new and more entertaining games or game presentations.
One common technique for increasing the entertainment value associated with a game is to provide the player with various types of interactions in the game process. That is, rather than simply enabling a player to make a single input and obtain a result as in traditional slot machines, a game may be configured to enable a player to make choices in the course of the game presentation that may or may not affect the outcome of the particular game play. Another popular technique to increase player interaction in a game is to offer a bonus round in conjunction with a base game. Bonus rounds may offer further choices to the player and further entertaining graphics.
An example of a gaming system in which a player is offered a choice in the course of the game is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,398 to Schneier, et al. This patent discloses an electronically implemented lottery system in which a player is allowed to make a selection in the course of the game to affect the outcome of a play. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,398 discloses a lottery system in which players make a selection from among a number of game play outcomes with each outcome representing a distinct chance in the game. Thus, even though the lottery results are themselves predetermined, the player's choice in the game affects the outcome for that particular play.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,074 to Thomas et al., provides an example of a gaming system offering bonus round play in which a player may make choices that affect the outcome of the bonus round. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,074 discloses a bonus round game in which a player is presented with a grid of locations with each location concealing either a prize or a symbol. The player makes selections from the grid of locations until selecting a location associated with a game ending symbol. The player may win any prizes revealed prior to the game ending event. Prizes associated with grid locations remaining unselected at the end of the game are revealed to the player. This step of revealing unselected prizes is a common step, long used in games such as those played on the game show “Let's Make a Deal” dating back to the early 1960's.